to be organic or not to be....

A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has come out to reveal the top varieties of produce that contain the most pesticides (even after washing and cleaning). Dubbed the "dirty dozen" for 2011 Here's the list in order from most pesticide residue to least: Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Nectarines, Grapes, Sweet bell peppers, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce and Kale/Collard greens.

The study also came out with a list of the "clean fifteen," for 2011 those fruits and veggies with the least amount of pesticide residue:
Onions, Sweet corn, Pineapples, Avocado, Asparagus, Sweet peas, Mangoes, Eggplants, Cantaloupe, Kiwi, Cabbage, Watermelon, Sweet Potatoes, Grapefruit, and Mushrooms.

Pesticide residue on food is linked to severe health complications. All the more reason to go green!
Organic food=pesticide free!

Here's a link to the study's article.

tolerance

here's a clip from a mark driscoll sermon in which he addresses the effects of tolerance. great points as only he can put them.

clear for re-entry in 4...3...2...1....

ahem. so, hi. i've been gone for a bit. not as diligent in posting over the past couple months as i would have liked. so sorry. the reasons are plentiful, but mostly focus around this semester of school being crazy and trying to soak up lots of time with my sister and her lovely family before they moved to louisiana. now here we have it...school is done and my sister has moved. so the attention swings back to the list of tasks and goals that have been on the back burner and with that comes a bit of relief. so hello summer and hello re-entry.

best beverages of STL

thirsty? me too. here are my current top favorite beverages available in STL:

1. caffe latte by crepes etc. they only serve illy coffee...please & thank you!
2. caffe mocha by winslow home...best mocha i've ever had in my life
3. kiwi lemonade bubble tea + extra boba by bubble tea house...so refreshing and summery
4. chai soy latte by companion bread company...sweet heaven
5. raspberry hefeweizen by schlafly bottleworks...my favorite seasonal beer
6. fitz's root beer by fitz's...delicious and crisp

cheers!:)

toms crush

sigh. love these & the mission they represent.:)

creation.

my church, the Journey, is doing a series on Doctrine which has been really cool. if you ever wanted to know about the foundations of what Christians believe this is a great series to listen to. anyway, last week Darrin spoke about creation and how we are co-creators with God. super inspiring, encouraging & affirming...take a look.

character approved

i have to say the show character approved looks super inspiring...just seeing the trailer made me want to try harder and strive even more for excellence in all my work. plus the guy who started tom's shoes, blake mycoskie, is going to be on the show. love that company & their shoes.:)

wadah khanfar

great talk by wadah khanfar on what is going on in the middle east. informative, inspiring and encouraging.

most

wow. this film looks amazing.

love

christians protecting muslims in egypt. beautiful. here's a link to the story via good.is.

christmas thoughts for the new year

happy new year!! so i know christmas was a week ago but i just keep thinking about a line in the song O Holy Night..."til He appeared and the soul felt its worth. a thrill of hope the weary world rejoices."

i've heard this song a million times but this line really stuck with me this season. the whole idea that Jesus appeared to this weary world...that He saw us as worthy of making Himself known to us. that He affirmed us as valuable & desired relationship with us. and that He freely gives us hope and a new life that He can only provide. i am amazed. all praise to God who has loved us, redeemed us and given us the hope!!

michaelangelo. sistine chapel.

so, if you've never been to the sistine chapel, here's your chance. check out this amazing 360 tour.

more new thoughts on marriage

i ran across this blog post by phil smidt from mars hill church...he speaks about the myth of compatibility between marriage partners.

"Instead of finding a compatible mate, Christians are instructed to marry and become a compatible mate. This requires the grace and transformation of Jesus–good news to those already married who are struggling to live in unity with their spouse."

sound. and challenging to most everything that i've been influenced by before. lots to think about.

new ideas on marriage

my church, The Journey, has been doing a series on marriage & family and it's been really interesting. lots of points have been made that have challenged the way that i've previously thought about marriage, for example the idea that marriage should be more about holiness than happiness, and when holiness is cultivated happiness is the result. here's a link to some amazing sermons if you're married or would ever like to be married someday.

missy the cat

oh my goodness. this had me laughing so hard i was crying....designer/humorist david thorne provided this email thread. here's is a link to his web site. enjoy!

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.



This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan. From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone... possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out "Shannon, where are you?" Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.
From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don't like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham 'Choose Life' t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a wet brown stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.
Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It's a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don't come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun.
I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say lost.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don't have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend's cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn't have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go.
I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says "I haven't seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?" you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.
I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww


From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww



From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

i've loved you so long

just saw this movie, i loved you so long, and was blown away by it. it's a french story about two sisters, one of whom just got out of jail after 15 years of imprisonment. i love the way they unfold the story and why the older sister went to jail in the first place. beautiful. plus it's a great way to brush up on your french.

happy birthday to me!

sooo, i'm 29 today. kinda have mixed feelings about that. on one hand i'm a little nervous and intimidated...starting the last year of the "twos" before the big 3-0. sounds like i'm getting old. i don't feel old, but the numbers are increasing. and when i look at where several friend of mine are: married, having kids, well into their careers, etc. it feels like i'm a bit behind in where i "should be." but on the other hand, i'm excited by what i am doing. i'm in school for the second time pursuing a field that i love & feel called to, which many people don't get to do. i'm so grateful to have the opportunity to have the time & resources to be doing this. so here's to keep on keeping on & a new year of adventures.:)

the thin man

this is a clip from the movie After The Thin Man. it's a mystery from the 1930s & is fantastic. There are 6 different Thin Man movies...based on a book by Dashiell Hammett. These are perfect films if your in the mood for clever old movies.

coffee for a cause

stephen miller, a worship leader from my church, is selling organic Ethiopian coffee to help raise funds as his family adopts an Ethiopian orphan. please help by buying a bag (or two!). it tastes great & makes an excellent cappuccino...we're already halfway through our first bag.:)

microloan foundation

i'm working on a logo design for this company, microloan foundation, in my identity design class. i had no idea microlending companies existed. some can be a bit tricky, but this one seems pretty cool. microloan foundation was started by a British man who saw the need African women had for providing for their families. the women wanted to run businesses but couldn't qualify for bank loans. so microloan was started as a charity which loans money to these women, which the in turn pay back and can get their businesses running. pretty high sucess rate. pretty cool concept.